Means for hermetically sealing containers



H. A. BAKER. MEANS FOR HERMETICALLY SEALING CONTAINERS.

AP LICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1916.

1,343,955. Patented June 22, 1920.

INVENTOR Herbert AUEah/er,

WI TN88 WWW A TTORN E Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT A. BAKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR HERMETICALLY SEALING- CONTAINERS.

T all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HERBERT A. BAKER,

v a citizen of the United States, residing at New York in the county of New York and .flanges with a hermetic closure.

State ofv New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Hermeti'cally Sealing Containers, of which the following is a specification.

Theinvention relates to the-hermetic sealing of cans and other receptacles made of tin plate or its equivalent, and particularly to that class of receptacles the body and end or ends of which are provided with outwardly extending flanges united by a separable malleable metal sealing strip which embraces and "holds together said Such a receptacle is opened by turning up the end of said strip with the aid of a knife or other suitable instrument, or by the fingers, and then stri ping or unwinding the strip from the can flanges, so as to release the end or cover and make the same easily removable. Many of the cans so closed, especially when they contain certain food products, require to be processed, that is to say, to be subjected .to a considerable degree of heat. Such processing usually causes the expansion of the contents to exert a pressure within the can, which is necessary to be resisted by the seal so as to maintain its hermetic character. This pressure is more or less according to the nature of the product which is being packed, varying ordinarily from about six to twenty-seven pounds, more or less.

The invention has several objects in view, including an improvedmeans for applying the hermetic packing or ring liner, the maintaining of the hermetic seal during the sometimes rough handling and transporta' tion of the can, in quantities, 'during the processing, and thereafter until the can is opened; the keeping of the strip seal securely in its proper place around .the flanges of the can; and the easy removal of the strip when the can is intentionally opened. 1

With such objects in view, as well as other advantages which may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several neces as shown in Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J e 22, 192( Application filed January 17, 1916. Serial No. 72,562.

sary elements constituting the same may be varied. in proportions and arrangement without departing from the nature of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there is shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying. the same into practical efi'ect, without limiting the improvements, in theiruseful applicat ons, to the particular constructions WhlCll, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration. In

they sealing strip extends within the cover shoulder or depression.

- Fig. 4 is a similar view, illustrating a fur-' ther modification in which the packing or paper is arranged on the sealing strip in two longitudinal portions.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the sealing strip shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the sealing gasket strip applied to the superposed flanges, and the metallic binding strip adjacent thereto in osition forapplying.

ig. 7 shows an annular binding strip as formed when applied to a round can; this does not show the strip. V

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the body of the can' formed at its mouth with an outstanding peripheral flange 2. 3 is the can end or cover formed with a central degasket applied to the flange 2 so that it may fit therewith in parallel arrangement (Fig. 2).

A is the sealing strip consisting of malleable metal, such as sheet steehof the proper thickness and temper so that it may be applied and compressed to the can flanges Fig. 2, may maintain a compressive grip on said flanges, and may be outward and unwinding it from the can.

While this sealing strip 'is in'the form of a flat ribbon there-is applied to it a packing or ring liner 7, of suitable substance preferably paper, which is caused to adhere to said strip so as to' maintain its place thereon during the forming of the strip into U-shape and the application of it to the can flanges. After the application of the strip the said packing assumes the -form of a double ring liner extending above and below the cover and body flanges. Prior to the application of the strip it is bent into Ushape, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1' and then applied around the can as described. This forming of the strip may take place in the seaming or closing machine, by' mechanism known for the purpose or by other suitable and improved devices. The

invention is not however limited to this particular way of forming or applying the strip. As a final step in the sealing opera-. tion the upper and lower flanges or members of the strip are tightly and permanently pressed upon the interposed packing and the can flanges, by dies or by rollers.

The upper flange of the strip may be a .little wider than the lower flange so that it can be extended more or less within the shoulder of the can cover (Fig. 3)'so as to obtain a hold which tends to keep the cover in place during processing, and which prevents the accidental unwinding of the strip from the can flanges.

The packing may be applied to the strip in two longitudinal'portions (Fig. 5) leaving between them a space which comes op posite to the edges of the can and body flanges (Fig. 4.), this arrangement being employed when the packing is of such nature or is so applied to the strip that the bending of the latter might crumple or displace the packing.

In the described construction and application of the sealing strip the latter simul-" taneously compresses two thicknesses of packing, with corresponding range of yielding, but each sealing portion of the packing or liner is ormay be of the usual thin character. Also the frictional grip and engagement of the strip on the packing enables the same to maintain its hold against accidental displacement and until the can is intentionally opened.

The ends of the strip are preferably lapped for a short distance one upon the other, in a known manner, but such ends,

miiy abut each other without lapping. t will be understood that the invention includes a can-sealing process or operation consisting in superposing the flanges of can bodies and can covers, folding a thin layer ofpaper or other gasketor liner material around said flanges, such material being capable of forming a hermetic seal by the aid of the malleable sealing strip, and then applying the encircling sealing strip to permanently compress the gasket material on the can flanges to form a hermetic joint.

Also the sealing strip may be 0f substantially U-shape in cross section and of an nular form-before it is applied to the cans, and may be sprung-on to the, flanges prior to the application of the sealing pressure -"tion,a division hereof, filed September 29,

1919, Serial No. 327 ,057,

' What is claimed is 1. A sealing strip adapted to be bent or formed around the flanged joints of can bodies and can covers, for forming hermetic. seams, having secured to one side .thereof sealing or gasket material which, when applied to the said flanges, lies over and under said flanges and inside of said sealing strip.

2. A hermetic seam for containers consisting of the flange of a can body and the flange of ,a can cover lying in superposed relation, a web of gasket or sealing material formed to inclose the said flanges, and a metallic or other unyielding binding'strip formed to. lie over and around said gasket sealing strip and bind said gasket sealing strip and said flanges into a hermetic joint.

3. A sealing strip adapted to be bent to inclose and tightly clamp together the cover and body flanges of a can to be sealed, the said strip having secured thereto sealing or gasket material adapted to form a hermetic seal when the sealing strip is so bent and applied.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

- HERBERT A. BAKER. 

